Collapsible deep well drill



sept. 12,. 1939.

w. G. HURLEY COLLAPSIBLE DEEP WELL DRILL Fled Jan. 27, 1938 Sept. 12, 1939,. w. G. HURLEY COLLAPSIBLE DEEP WELL DRILL l Filed Jan. 27, 1958 2 Shee'cs-Slfxeeil 2 Patente Sept.o l2, 1939 ser arianna E 'or-sies comarsmm naar weer n Walter'G. Hurley, Gladewater, Tern, gnor, by direct and mesne assignments' off one-haltes Lester A. Crancer, Webster Groves, Me.,

one-hair to George E. Fleischmann, University Application January 23, met, Serial N ll'dt ric ma. (en. ess- 16) This invention relates to a collapsible'drill espe cially adapted ior drilling oil wells.

It is an important object of this invention to provide a device for use in vdeepwell drilling whereby the drilivbit can be readily withdrawn` for repairs, and readily replaced when desired.

This may be accomplished with the apparatus forming this invention, with much less labor and with much less loss of time.

More particularly, it is an aim oi this invention to provide a drill shoe or barrel ,to be secured to the lower end of a drill casing and shaped to receive the drill-fbit carrying the vblades in a collapsed position, and to open the blades when they have passed through theI lower end oi the shoe.

A further aim of theinvention is to provide a collapsible bit, for use with said drill shoe, and

' including a carrier .to pivotally support the drill blades; said carrierincluding independently supported parts mounted to be raisedor lowered as .a unit but rleasable when in a lowermost position to permit one ot said partsl to move into a wedging engagementwith the blades to retain them in an open position.

.A further object of `the invention is to provide means in the upper part oi" thedrill shoe to guide and rotate the ,carrier so-that the blades -will be in a proper position in the shoe when they reachits lower end.v A

Other objects and advantagesof the invention views', iii designates Agenerally the lower part of a drillshoe, barrel or head which is adapted to be secured by any'suitable means, not shown, to

the lower end of a drill stem with the 'upper enlarged portion il of the bore i2 in alignment `with the drill stem bore. As seen in'Figure 4,

the bore I2 is polygonal shaped in cross section and includes the four relatively wide sides I4 and the two oppositely disposed `relatively.'nar row sides I5. 'As seen in Figure 5, the portion Ii of bore I2 is cylindrical in shape and of substanJ tiallyV greater diameter than the bore i2. 'BeJ tween the portions Il and I2 are shoulders i6- which diverge downwardly on opposite sides of the interior of head Il irom` the points i1 to the points 'Il i'or .a purpose to be hereinafterexplained. The lower closed end of head- I0 is provided with a rectangular opening communicating with bore l2. On opposite sides and at opposite ends o f the rectangular opening lt are formed the diagonal shoulders 20 which iorm'the slots- 2i which communicate with opening i9 i'or a .purpose which will hereinafter be described. lThe lower end of head Il is generally rounded as seen at-22.

The collapsible blt which is adapted to berend- .ily lowered through the drillcasins. not shown,

will'hereinafter become more fully apparent from` the following description ot the drawings, which illustrate a preferred form oi the invention, and

wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical central sectional view oi the`lowerpart of thek drill shoe, showing the collapsible bit. in elevation, mounted therein with e the line 3 3 of Figure l,

the blades in open position,

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showingv the blades in a closed position being loweredwith into the drill head I0 and to be conversely removed, comprises generally-the collapsible bit designated 23 and which includes `the carrier 24 and the blades. I

The' carrier 2l' comprises the blocks and 2l :having the upwardly projecting, oppositely disvposed straps 28' and 2l respectivelyarranged in pairs at right angles toleach'other; Theblock 21 which is mounted-beneath block 26A 'has'its straps 29 extending through slots infin theo'pl "posite sides of the block 28.

yAs seen in Figure 3 theupper ends of-the straps 29 are securedtothefi'unnel shaped-mem# -ber 3i, 'while the upper ends of the straps 28, .as seen in Figure l` are'secured to the i'un'nel shaped member 32 which is disposed above .meme

AsV seenk in Figure 1 funnel 3| vis providedwith slots 33 formed' in opposite sides of itsupper edge to receive the ends oi. a line 34. lnglowering the bit 2 3 into the head lil funnel li is in a raised position so tha i', itsu1:nper "end engages Referring more particularly to'. the drawings.

wherein like reference characters'desig'nate like orl corresponding parts throughout the -difierent the lower end of the funnel 22.' vWhen in thisptzqf sition the balls 3l on the opposite ends oi' the line il will engage the outer'side-of funnel 3i and the ilanges 3B on the lower end of the outerV edge of the outer side oi' the funnel '32 to retain the line 34 in the slots $3. The line, llis con? nected to a cable 31 by which the bit 23 is lowered.

Block 25 is provided with a depending reduced shank 38 which projects through an opening 3S in the block 21. Extending through the lower reduced end 40 of the shank 38 is a bolt 4I on which is pivotally mounted the blades 25.

Blades 25 are pivotally mounted intermediate of their ends, and as seen in Figure 2 the upper ends 42 of the blades will engage the depending wedge portions 43 of the block 21 when in a collapsed position, to hold block 21 in its raised position to cause the funnel 3| to engage the funnel 32 to retain the line 34 between the funnels for lowering the bit 23.

The blocks 26 and 21 are shaped to correspond to the shape of the bore I2 in which they are adapted to slide, and the block 21 is provided with downwardly facing inclined shoulders 44 0n its four long sides which are formed at an angle corresponding to the angle of the shoulders IB with which they are adapted to engage, as the bit 23 is lowered. AThe 90 angled corners in bore` I2 begin at the points I8, and the lower ends of the shoulders 44 terminate and converge at the lower ends of the 90 angled sides of the block 21 so that these sides are guided by shoulders I6 and 44 to the points I8 to align block 21 and bore I2. Block 26 is held in alignment with block 21 by straps 28 and will follow the latter into bore I2, so that blades 25 will be properly positioned for their cutting edges 45 to pass through opening I9.

Bla'des 25 are provided with the shoulders 48 formed on their outer sides and inclined upwardly to engage the upwardly projecting cam surfaces 41 on opposite sides of the opening I9 as best seen in Figure 8, to cause the ends 45 of the blades to be swung outwardly. As shoulders 46 engage the cam surfaces 41, the upper ends 42 ofthe blades 25 `will be likewise swung outwardly from beneath the lower edge of the wedge portions 43 to release the block 21 to allow it to slide downwardly on stem 38 so that the wedge members 43 will engage the inner face of the ends 42 as seen in Figure 1 to retain the blades 25 in an open position. As seen in Figure 1 the blades 25 are shaped to iit ush with the wedges 43, shoulders 20 and with the faces 48 when in an open position. As the block' 21 moves downwardly the balls 35 will be released from between the tunnels- 3I and 32 so that the cable 31 can be withdrawn from the drill casing.

A coil spring 49 is shown mounted on shank 38 between blocks 25 and 21 to urge the latter downwardly` when released by the ends 42 of blades 25, but this may be dispensed with if desired since the weight oi the block 21 will 'ordinarily be sufficient to cause it to move downwardly to a wedging engagement with' the ends 42.

When for any reason it isnecessary to re' move the bit 23 a rod 50 may be lowered into the drill casing. The rod 50 is provided with a compressible spring at its lower end adapted to be compressed by the funel 3| to allow it to pass through the opening in the lower end of `the funnel, so that the spring I will move outarmere wardly 'by engagement with the shoulders 2@ until they are again in a collapsed position as seen in Figure 2. The raising of the block 21 will have drawn the wedge portions i3 to a position above the ends 42 so that the blades 25 are free to collapse and to remain thus while the bit 23 is being lifted out of the head Il) and drill stem for replacement or repair.

As seen in Figure 3 block 26 is provided with a bore 52 which extends into the shank 3d* to communicate with the two outwardly and downwardly extending bores 53 which open outwardly in the lower end 40 as best seen in Figure 8. The bore 52 is intended to convey the cleaning fluid which is pumped from above through the drill casing to the head I Il, and which is forced through bore 52 and through bores 53 which direct the uid onto the cutting edges 45 of the blades 25 to keep the blades cool and to carry off the dirt in a conventional manner.

From the foregoing description and explanation of operation, it will be seen that a collapsible drill bit 23 has been provided including the collapsible blades 25 which may be readily raised from or lowered into the drill head Il), and including means formed in the blades 25 to engage means in the drill head to cause the blades to open into an operative position when they reach the bottom of the head l0. The head I 0 is also provided with the shoulders 20 to collapse the blades when the bit 23 is raised :for removal. The wedge portions 43 of the sliding block 21 insure the retention of the blades 25 in an open position when the bit 23 is left unsupported in the lower end of the head I0. It will thus be seen that the reaming operation may be accomplished as efllciently as if the blades were permanently secured to the lower end of the head I0, while at the same time by simply engaging the funnel 3i and lifting it the blades are released and collapsed so that they can be quickly and easily removed.

Only a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown in the drawings and described, and various modifications and changes in the apparatus may obviously be made and are contemplated, and the right is expressly reserved to ,make such changes and modicatlons as fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter dened by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A collapsible bit comprising a drill barrel shaped to receive the bit, a bit including a carrier and blades, the carrier being formed of a plurality of blocks mounted one above the other,

said lower block being provided with an opening, a shank depending from the upper block and extending through said opening, the blades being pivotally secured to the lower end of said shank and beneath said lower block, means in said barrel, adjacent its lower end, for engaging and partially opening the blades, and spring means mounted between said blocks to cause said lower block to engage the blades to move them to a fully opened position when said carrier reaches the lower end of the drill barrel. y

2. A well drill comprising a barrel provided with a polygonal shaped bore, a collapsible bit shapedto slidably engage said bore, said bit comprising a plurality of weighted members disposed one above the other and having upwardly extendingsupporting straps connected to supporting frames, the frame for said lower member being shaped ,to engage' the underside of the other frame, a cable having portions at its lower 75 downwardly to engage said blades' and force them outwardly.A to a fully opened position.

' 3. A deep well drill apparatus comprising a 'drill barrel secured to the lower end of a drill casing and provided with a. restricted rectangular opening in its lower end, a collapsible bit adapted to be lowered through said casing and into said drill barrel, said bit comprising a plurality of weighted members, one of said members, having a depending shank extending through the other member, blades pivotally connected intermediate oftheir ends to said shank, at its lower end, said blades being mounted to normally hang in a collapsed position, means formed in said drill barrel to-engage shoulders on one of said weighted members to guide said bit to cause the blades to pass through the opening in the lower-end Cl A of the barrel, and cam surfaces in said barrel to engage and partially open said blades, said lower weighted member being released by said blades to slide downwardly on said shank when the bit reaches the lower end of the barrel to engage saidblades to swing them outwardly into a fully operative position. v

- 4. A deep well drill comprising a barrel havinga polygpnal shaped bore communicating with a reduced opening in the bottom of the barrel, cam surfaces formed in the barrel on opposite sides di' the opening. a collapsible bit shaped to be lowered into said barrel and including a pair of independently supported, weighted blocks,

disposedv one above the other, said upper block being provided with a depending shank extending through the lower block, blades pivotally connected to the lower end of said shank, intermediate of their ends to be normally held by their weight in a collapsed position, engaging' and supporting the lower block, shoulders on said blades to engage said cams to partially open the blades as their lower ends pass through the barsition. v

k5. A deep-well drill comprising a drill shoe secured to the lower end of a drill casing. said shoe having a polygonal shaped bore atits lower end communicating with a reduced opening in 'the bottom of the shoe, a collapsible bit adapted to be lowered through the casing, and shaped to engage the bore ofl said shoe, and blades pivotally mounted intermediate of their ends, on the lower end of said bit, and forming a part there# of, said blades being positioned to project through Ithe opening in the lower end of the shoe and being' provided -with inclined shoulders, and said shoe being provided with upwardly extending cam surfaces adapted to engage said shoulders to pcausethe blades to swing to an open position.

6. A deep well drill comprising a drill barrel,

adapted to be mounted on the lower end of a drill casing', and having' a polygonal shaped bore in its lower part communicating with a restricted lend of said bit, inclined shoulders fo opening in its lower end, cam surfaces formed in said borev above and on opposite sides of said opening, a collapsible bit shaped to be lowered through the drill casing, and to engage the-bore in said barrel, `and bladesl pivotally connected intermediate o their ends to the lower end of said bit, and forming a part thereof, said blades being provided with inclined shoulders on their outer sides to engage said cam surfaces to swing the lower ends of said blades outwardly as they pass through the opening in the lower end of the barrel, and said bit being provided with a slidably mounted wedge member released by the openingof said blades to move downwardly between the upper ends of the blades to prevent collapsing of said blades while the bit is in the lower end of said barrel.

7. A drill apparatus comprising acylindrical drill shoe having a polygonal shaped bore in its lower part communicating with a reduced opening in its lower end, shoulders projecting u'pwardly, at an angle, adjacent opposite sides of said opening, a collapsible bit adapted to be lowered through a drill casing and shaped to engage the bore, said bit including independently supported blocks mounted one above the other, a shank depending from the upper block and extending through the lower block,l blades pivotally connected intermediate of their ends vto the lower end of said shanlLand normally held in a collapsed position by engagement with said lower block, means in the upper part of s'aid shoe to guide the 'bit intosaid bore and to Lcause the blades to pass through the opening in the lower end ofthe bit, inclined shoulders on the outer sides of said blades to engage said aforementioned shoulders to swing said blades to an operative position, and spring means to urge said lower -block downwardly when vreleased by said blades to wedge the .blades in an open position.

8. Ai deep well drill apparatus comprising a cylindrical drill shoe having a polygonal shaped bore communlcating with"a reduced opening in the lower end of the shoe, upwardly extending cam surfaces formed on opposite sides of saidopening ,ia collapsible bit adapted to` beraised or lowered through a drill casing and shaped to engage the bore of said shoe, blades pivotally mounted, intermediate ofvtheir ends, on th lower d on said blades to engage said cam surfaces when the. lower ends of the blades are projecting through'the shoe-opening to swing, said ends outwardly into an operative position, and a wedge memberv slidably mounted to engage theupper ends of said blades to retain them in an-pen position.'

9. In a collapsible blt, a drill casing having a drill barrel at its lower end provided with an opening in its bottom, a pair of blocks havingmeans for independently supporting them from above, said blocks beingshaped to slidably engage the bore of said `drill barrel, a stem depending from one of said blocks and extending through the other block, blades pivotally connected intermediate of their ends tothe lower end of said stem, said blades being normally disposed in a-collapsible position with their upper ends engaging and'supporting the lower block, and cam surfaces formedin the bottom of said drill barrel to engage theblades to partially open them, as `they move through the open bottom of the drill barrel, said lower block being released thereby to move downwardly on the stem. -between the`upper ends of the blades, to swing the blades outwardly to a fully opened position.

10. A collapsible drill blt comprising a drill barrel havlng a bore provided with a polygonal shaped portion at its lower end communicating with a restricted opening in its bottom, said polygonal shaped portion terminating in sloping guide shoulders at itstop, a collapsible drill bit comprising weighted blocks, one oi said blockshavng a depending stern extending through the other block and slidably mounted therein, blades pivotally mounted intermediate of their ends on the lower end of said stem, the upper ends of said bla-des engaging and supporting the lower 15 block, when in a collapsed position,` shoulders adesione formed on the `outer sides of said blades, cam surfaces formed above and on opposite sides o said opening to engage said shoulders, inclined shoulders formed on the sides of said lower blocll: to engage said guide shoulders toturn the bit relatively to the drill barrel to position the shoulders on the blades for engagement with the cani surfaces, and said blades being partially opened by said cam surfaces to release the lower block so that it can move downwardly, between the upper ends of the blades, to fully open the blades and to retain them in a fully opened position projecting through said'opening. 

